Apparatus for mixing concrete



July 21, 1936.

e. JAEGER APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE 3 Sheets-Shee t l Original Filed March 29, 1932 (Ittornq July 21, 1936. EG ER 2,048,657

APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE Original Fihad March 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 I t 44m,

3 nnentor Gab/75rd Jaeger.

(Ittomeg July 21, 1936. c; JAEGER 2,048,657

APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE Original Filed March 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l'mnentor Gebhard Jazye/f Gttome Patented July 21, 1936 APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE Gebhard J aeger, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jaeger Machine Company, Columbus, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Original application March 29, 1932, Serial No. 601,797. Divided and this application May 29, 1933, Serial No. 673,339

9 Claims. (Cl. 83-7-3) My invention relates to apparatus for mixing concrete. It has to do primarily with apparatus for mixing concrete which is particularly useful in the building of concrete roads, although it is not necessarily limited thereto.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel apparatus for mixing concrete and delivering it to the road surface to which it is to be applied with a minimum loss of timeand 1 with a maximum simplicity of method of application and of apparatus utilized.

Another object of my invention is to provide a truck mixer of such structure that the number of batches of material which may be delivered by a truck in a given period of time will be increased with a consequent increase in the rapidity in the road building operation and with a resultant decrease in the original cost of the motor truck equipment.

One feature of my invention consists in the provision oftruck mixers or trailers therefor, wherein the mixing drum is mounted trans-. versely of the truck or trailer chassis and is so constructed that it may selectively deliver the mixed concrete from either end thereof, depending upon the direction of travel of the truck or trailer and the side of the road which may be selected for the passage of these units toward and from the point at which the concrete is to be delivered to the road. This positioning of the mixing drumtransversely of the chassis of the truck or trailer renders possible the mounting of more than one mixing drum upon a truck or trailer with an obvious increase in the number of batches which may be delivered by each truck or trailer unit. Another feature of my invention resides in the fact that, owing to the transverse disposition of the mixing drum and the delivery of the material from. either end thereof, the mixed concrete may be delivered from either end of the drum and pass therefrom in a straight line to the point of .application of the material to the road.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 601,797,filed March 29, 1932 now matured into Patent No. 1,967,178.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein: v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck mixer constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the truck mixer shown in Figure l. Figure 3 is a detail view of a part of the means which I preferably use for holding the mixing drum upon the truck chassis.

Figure l is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail, in section, of the drum with parts partially'broken away and illustrating the means for closing the ends of the drum.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but illustrating the manner in which the end closures of the drum and their associated parts may be disconnected preliminary to the transposition of these end closures, respectively, to the opposite ends of the drum.

Figure '7 is a perspective view, partially broken away, and showing the blades of my mixing drum in position for delivering the concrete to 'the left hand end of the drum.

Figure. 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but showing the manner in which the blade structure may be readjusted to effect delivery of the mixed concrete to the right hand end of the drum.

The truck mixer which I preferably provide comprises a chassis 5 carried upon wheels 6 and, in turn, carrying a rectangular framework 1 for the support of a mixing drum and the operating parts therefor;-

The mixing drum, designated 8, is mainly of cylindrical form but may be provided with conical ends 9 and 10. Each conical end of the mixing drum is provided, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, with a circular aperture and these are, respectively, designated II and I2. Each circular aperture is provided on the exterior there'- of with a ring member l4, these ring members being provided with machined drip surfaces, so that either aperture may be used, with equal facility, as a delivery aperture.

It will be noted that the mixing drum 8 is mounted transversely of the chassis of the truck and further description of my apparatus will show that the mixing drum may be caused to deliver the mixed concrete from either end of the drum, depending upon which side of the slab is being traversed by the truck mixer and the direction of travel thereof.

The mixing drum is further provided on its side with a charging door l5 so that the drum may be charged from the top. This charging door preferably fits into a machined surface .on the drum. It is preferably of circula form and provided with a machined surface so that it will be self-cleaning, water-tight, and otherwise tight, without dependence upon gaskets of any kind.

The mixing drum is preferably supported and held upon the rectangular framework 1 through mixing and discharge.

the medium of annular rail members I 6 and i1 which are disposed in spaced relation upon the cylindrical portion of the drum and which are secured thereto in any suitable manner. To effect this supporting and holding action, supporting rollers or wheels l8 and I9 are disposed upon the rectangular framework .1 so that they form cradles for the track I6 and I1 while the flanges 20 and 21' of the rollers l8 and [9 hold the mixing drum against lateral displacement.

In further cooperation with the track members I 6 and I1, I have provided rollers 22 and 23 which are disposed between the tracks l6 and I1 and which bear against the-inner side thereof. As shown in Figure 4, each of the rollers 22 and 23 is provided with a flange 24 which hooks beneath the head of the rail with which is cooperates to preclude upward displacement of the mixing drum.

The mixing drum is rotatable in either direction' by means of a circular rack member 25 which is secured to the drum adjacent one end thereof and which is preferably covered by a guard member 26. This circular rack member is adapted tobe driven by a gear 21 carried upon a shaft 28 which is journaled in bearings 29 and which carries a sprocket 38. The sprocket 38 is preferably driven by a sprocket chain 3| which is, in turn, driven by a sprocket 32. The means for varying the speed or direction of rotation of the sprocket 32 is preferably enclosed in a housing 33 and may vary as to form. Any suitable motor unit may be-utilized and such a motor unit is diagrammatically indicated at 34.

The closures for the mixing drum, illustrated best in Figures 5 and 6, are respectively designated 35 and 36. The closure 35 is preferably of such a form that it will remain in position throughout the mixing and discharging operations. The closure 36 'is designed to be maintained in closing relation to its aperture during .mixing, but isadjustable to open position when it is desired to effect discharge of the material which has been mixed.

The closure 35 is preferably of frusto-conical form and is provided at its center with a bearing member 31 through which passes a water pipe 38. Packing 39 is normally held in the counter bore of this bearing by means of a gland 48.

It will be understood that the mixing drum rotates about the pipe 38 during the operations of with a circular disk 4| which is threaded thereon as 42, while a hook-like finger 43, secured to the bearing 31, extends outwardly into such cooperative relation to the disk 4| that outward axial movement of the pipe 38 will be precluded.

The inner end of the pipe 38 communicates 1 with a pipe section 44 which is threaded as at 45 into the inner end of the bearing 31, so that the pipes 38 and 44'are in co-axial relation with each other. The inner endof thepipe 44 carries a flanged collar 46 with bolt holes 41 provided in the flange thereof. These bolt holes 41 are adapted to receive retaining bolts 48 which are carried by a collar 49 and radially extending supports 50 which carry the piping, bells, closures, et cetera. A washer 5| is interposed between the collars 46 and 49.

It will be apparent, by reference to Figure 6, that the pipe 44, and the collar 46 are detachable by removal of the nuts 52. Because of this construction, it is possible to readily detachthese members and to remove the frusto-conical closure 35 together with the pipe 38. Furthermore,

This pipe 38 is provided it will subsequently appear that these parts are readily transferable to the opposite side of the mixing drum for closing the opening l2 on such opposite side, while the closure 36 maybe transferred from the opening I2 to the opening II.

The collar 49 also carries a pipe section 63 which is normally co-axial with the pipe section 44 and which leads into a bell-like member 54. As shown in Figure 5, the bell-like member 64 contains a flared chamber 55 having a. series of bosses 56 disposed about a central point for the reception of bolts 51 whichsecure a metal washer 58 thereto. This metal washer 58, in turn, carries a flexible washer 59 of somewhat greater diameter than the metal washer. The water delivered through the pipes 38, 44 and 53 passes around the-outer edge of the metal washer 58 and past the metal washer 59 which operates as a check valve which permits the flow of water or flared as at 6l but whichis also provided with a metal washer 62 integrally formed upon a collar 63 and, likewise, carrying a flexible washer meme ber 64. The collar 63 is internally threaded for the reception of a pipe section 65.

' The other half of the pipe structure is substantially identical with-the structure just described, as far as the bell structure 66 and the separable collar structure 61 are concerned. The collar member 61, however, is designed to receive a closing plug member 68 which is threaded thereinto as at 69. This plug member 68 fits closely within a cylindrical sleeve 18 whose inner end abuts firmly against a washer 1|.

The other end of the sleeve 10 fits closely within the bearing 12 which is rotatable thereon. This bearing 12 is provided witha circular flange 13 to which is bolted the body portion 36 of the closure member.

The means for openingthe closure in order to permit discharge of the mixed concrete preferably comprises a hand wheel 14 having a collar 15 and a screw 16. The screw 16 extends into the hollow interior of the plug 68 and cooperates with a non-rotatable nut 11 which is disposed within the said hollow plug. The collar 15 is provided with a radial flange 18 integrally formed thereon and this flange 18 is normally embraced by a washer 19 secured by bolts 88 to the bearing 12.

The operation of this means for adjusting the closure will be readily understood. Rotation of the hand wheel 14, due to coaction of the screw 16 with the internally threaded nut 11, will cause the collar 15 to move outwardly away from the outer end of the sleeve 10. Contact of the flange 18 with the washer 19 will cause the bearing 12 to slide outwardly along the sleeve 10 andthe body portion 36 ofthe closure will move therewith.

The blade structure for effecting mixing or delivery of the concrete depending upon the direction of the rotation of the mixing drum, is illustrated best in Figures '1 and 8. In these figures, it will be seen that two main blade elements BI and 82 are preferably provided. It will be understood that the number of blade elements may be varied as desired. Each main blade element is provided at both its ends with series of bolt holes 83. The main blade elements constitute the principal means which I utilize for the mixing of the concrete. In a general way they may be said to be of helical form and they act to subject the material of the batch to a continuous lifting and folding action, so as to effect thorough mixing without aerating the material being mixed. Furthermore, their curvature is such that they will tend to free the "material being mixed toward one end of the mixing drum, depending upon the direction of rotation.

Each of the mixing blades 8| and 82 is preferably provided with a delivery section 85 and 86 which is removably secured thereto by means of bolts 84 which may be fitted in bolt holes 83. It will be apparent that these delivery sections may be applied to either end of the blade members 8| and 82, depending upon which end of the mixing drum has been selected as'the delivery end.

At that end of. the mixing drum which is opposite to the delivery end, I have provided a pair of blades 81 and 88 which may be termed throwback blades. These blades are removably bolted to the end wall of the mixing drum and may be transferred from one end thereof to the other.

In the operation of this complete structure, the batch is introduced through the side wall of the drum, preferably when the charging opening is uppermost, and the water will be delivered axially of the drum as indicated-in Figures 5 and 6. During the mixing action, the rotation of the mixing drum in the proper direction, with both ends of the drum closed, will cause the blades to slide and plow through the material so as to give it a fast kneading and folding over action. Simultaneously, the material being mixed will be fed toward that end of the drum which carries the throw-back blades. These throwback blades will reverse the flow of the material and this mixing and end to end feeding action will effect a thorough mixing without that lifting and pouring action which ordinarily aerates the concrete. When the material is fully mixed, it is merely necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the drum and adjust the hand wheel on one end thereof to move the closure at that end to that position most suitable for discharge of the material. During this discharge, the supplemental sections 85 and 86 will receive the mixed material from the main blade sections 8| and 82 and deliver it by positive screw feeding action through the open end of the drum, whether this open end of the drum be at horizontal or above horizontal.

Fromthe structure described, it will be seen that the closures 35 and 36 may be interchanged merely by disconnecting the collars 41 and 61. In this way, delivery from either end of the mixing drum may be rendered possible. In order to effectuate this delivery,'however, it is desirable to transpose the supplemental blade sections 85 and 86 and the throw-back blade sections 81 and 88. These adjustments merely vary the main direction of mixing movement during the mixing operation or the direction of delivery movement during the delivery operation.

The novel form of mixing drum which I utilize,

being provided with a top charging opening and with terminal discharge openings at either end,

subject to selection at will, will increase the flexithe claims of this specification, it is intended to also cover a trailer with a mixing drum carried thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what-I claim is:

1. A concrete mixer comprising a drum-like body portion with an opening in either end, a closure for one end opening, a pipe section carried by said closure, a central pipe section, a closure of the other end opening of said drum-like body portion, a plug member carried by said lastnamed closure, and identical connections for said pipe sections and said plug member with both ends of said central pipe section.

2. In a concrete mixer or the like, a mixing drum, an opening in each end of said drum, a water pipe mounted within said drum, each end thereof being spaced from the ends of said drum, a closure member for each end of said drum and 2 being interchangeable with each other, the closure at one end of said drum having an inwardly extending member which is connected to one end of said water pipe and which has a plug for closing said end of the pipe, said closure member 2 being adjustable to completely close the opening in said drum or to permit material to pass through said opening, the closure at the other end of said, drum having an inwardly extending pipe section which is adapted to be connected to 0 the other end of said water'pipe and to communie cate therewith, the means for connecting the inwardly extending pipe section of said last-named closure to said water pipe being identical with member of said first-named closure to said water pipe.

3. A truck mixer'comprising a chassis, a mixing drum disposed on said chassis and in transverse relation thereto, said drum being mainly of cylindrical form but having frusto-conical ends, said drum being mounted on said chassis for rotation about its axis which is disposed transversely relative to the chassis, means for rotating said drum in either direction, said drum having a centrally disposed discharge opening in each end and having a charging opening in the side thereof disposed intermediate the ends thereof, means for closing said charging opening when not in use, interchangeable closure members for closing the openings in the ends of said drum, the closure member for closing the end opening used for discharge being adjustable to permit discharge of material from the drum or to prevent discharge therefrom, main blade members of approximately helical form disposed in said drum member, said main blade members being of such a nature that they will feed the material towards one end of the drum when the drum is rotated in one the means for connecting the inwardly extending direction but will feed the material towards the 0 opposite end of the drum when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, discharge blades attached to the ends of said main blades for cooperating with the main blades to direct the material to said discharge opening, throw-back 6 blades connected to the opposite end of the main blades, said throw-back blades operating to throw the material back towards the opposite end of the drum to that where they are disposed, the said throw-back blades being interchangeable with 7 said discharge blades so that when the said end closure members are interchanged, the throwback blades and discharge blades may be interchanged in order that the discharge blades may always be adjacent the discharge opening. 7

4. A truck mixer comprising a chassis, a mixing drum disposed on said chassis and in transverse relation thereto, said drum being of substantially cylindrical form and being mounted on said chassis for rotation about its axis which is disposed transversely relative to the chassis, means for rotating said drum in either direction, said drum having a discharge opening in each end and having a charging opening in the side thereof intermediate the ends thereof, means for closing said charging opening when not in use, interchangeable closure members for closing the openings in the ends of said drum, the closure member for closing the end opening used for discharge being adjustable to permit discharge of material from the drum or to prevent discharge therefrom, main blade members arranged in approximately helical form'within said drum member, said main blade members being of such a nature that they will feed the material towards one end of the drum when the drum is rotated in one direction but will feed the material towards the opposite end of the drum when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, discharge blades mounted adjacent the said discharge opening for cooperation with said main blades to direct the material towards the discharge opening, throw-back blades disposed at the opposite end of the drum operating to throw the material back towards, the opposite end of the drum to that where they are disposed, the said throw-back blades being interchangeable with said discharge blades so that when the said end closure members are interchanged, the throw-' back blades and discharge blades may be interchanged in order that the discharge blades may ways be adjacent the discharge opening.

5. A truck mixer comprising a chassis, a mixing drum disposed on said chassis, said mixing drum being mainly of cylindrical form but having frusto-conical ends, said drum being mounted on said chassis for rotation about its own axis, means for rotating said drum in either direction, said drum having a centrally disposed opening in each end, thereof, interchangeable closure members for. closing the openings in the end of said drum, the closure member for closing the end Opening used for discharge being adjustable to permit discharge of material from the drum or to prevent discharge therefrom, main blade members arranged in approximately helical 'form within said drum member, said main blade members being of such a nature that they will feed the material towards one end of the drum when. the drum is rotated in one direction but will feed the material towards the opposite end of the drum when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, discharge blades attached to the ends of said main blades for cooperating with the main blades to direct the material to said discharge opening, throw-back blades connected to the 0pposite end of the main blades, said throw-back blades operating to throw the material back towards the opposite end of the drum to that where they are disposed, the said throw-back blades being interchange-able with said discharge blades so that when the said end closure members are interchanged, the throw-back blades and discharge blades may be interchanged in order that the discharge blades may always be adjacent the discharge opening.

6. A truck mixer comprising a chassis, a mixing drum disposed on said chassis, said drum being of substantially cylindrical form and being mounted on said chassis for rotation about its own axis, means for rotating said drum in either direction, said drum having an opening in each end thereof, interchangeable closure members for closing the openings in the ends of said drum, the closure member for closing the end opening used for discharge being adjust-able to permit discharge of material from the drum or to prevent discharge therefrom, main blade members arranged in approximately helical form within said drum member, said main blade members being of such a nature that they will feed'the material towards one end of the drum when the drum is rotated in one direction but will feed the material towards the opposite end of the drum when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, discharge blades mounted adjacent the said discharge opening for cooperating with said main blades to direct the material towards the discharge opening, throw-back blades disposed at the opposite end of the drum operating to throw the material back towards the opposite end of the drum to that where they are disposed, the

said throw-back blades being interchangeable with said discharge blades so that when the said end closure. members are interchanged, the throw-back blades and discharge blades may be interchanged in order that the discharge blades may always be adjacent the discharge opening.*

7. A truck mixer comprising a chassis, a mixing drum disposed on said chassis, said drum being of substantially cylindrical form and having a discharge opening in each end and a charging opening in the side thereof intermediate the ends thereof, means for closing said charging opening when not in use, interchangeable closure members for closing the openings in the ends of said drum, the closure member for closing the end opening used for discharge being adjustable to permit discharge of material from the drum or to prevent discharge therefrom, main blade members arranged in approximately helical form within said drum member, means for causing said main blade members to rotate about the axis of said drum, said main blade members being of such a nature that they will feed the material towards one end of the drum when they are rotated about the axis of the drum in one direction but will feed the material towards the opposite end of the drum when they are rotated about the axis of the drum in an opposite direction, discharge blades mounted adjacent the said discharge opening for cooperation with said main blades to direct the material towards the discharge opening, throw-back blades disposed at the opposite end of the drum operating to throw the material back towards the opposite end of the drum to that where they are disposed, the said throw-back blades being interchangeable with said discharge blades so that when the said end closure members are interchanged, the throwback blades and d scharge blades may be interchanged in order that the discharge blades may always be adjacent the discharge opening.

8. In a concrete mixer or the like, a.mixing drum, an opening in each end of said drum, a supporting structure disposed within said drum and having each end thereof spaced from the end of said drum, a closure member for each end of said drum and being interchangeable with each .other, the closure member at one end of said drum having an inwardly extending member which is connected to one end of said supporting structure, said closure member being adjustable to completely close the opening in the drum or to permit material to pass through said opening; the closure at the other end of said drum having an inwardly extending member which is connected to the other end of said supporting structure, the means for connecting the inwardly extending member of said last-named closure to said supporting structure being identical with the means for connecting the inwardly extending member of said firstnamed closure to said supporting structure.

9. In a concrete mixer or the like, a mixing drum, an opening in each end of said drum, a closure member for each end of said drum and being interchangeable with each other, the closure member at one end of said drum having an closure to its support being identical with the 10 means for connecting the inwardly extending member of said first-named closure to its support.

GEBHARD. J AEGER. 

